informant

[ in-fawr-muhnt ]

/ ɪnˈfɔr mənt /

a person who informs or gives information; informer.

a person who supplies social or cultural data in answer to the questions of an investigator.

Linguistics. a native speaker of a language who supplies utterances and forms for one analyzing or learning the language.

Origin of informant

1655–65; < Latin infōrmant- (stem of infōrmāns) present participle of infōrmāre. See inform¹, -ant

1 source, adviser, tipster.

informant informer

She needs to make sure the informant is alive, but he needs him dead.

‘The Good Wife’ Star Mike Colter Defends Lemond Bishop’s Killer Instincts |Kevin Fallon |September 29, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
In April of this year, the FBI tried to recruit a member of the Guantanamo defense team as an informant.

A Navy Lawyer Cries Foul on Gitmo’s Kafkaesque Legal System |Eleanor Clift |September 26, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Instead, he was offered a deal: permission to stay, if he became an informant.

Gay Palestinians In Israel: The 'Invisible Men' |Itay Hod |August 13, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
They want the benefits of being an informant and the income from doing something illegal.

U.S. Visas Helped Fuel the Juárez Drug Wars |Jason McGahan |July 1, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

Prosecutors claim that Monsegur helped prevent as many as 300 cyberattacks during his time as an informant.

How an FBI Informant Orchestrated LulzSec’s Hacking Spree |Joshua Kopstein |June 6, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
She gave information to the police, who next (Sunday) morning, accompanied by the informant, came in full force to the barracks.

Adventures and Recollections |Bill o'th' Hoylus End
My informant is a gentleman of honour and of family, one who knows you well—and beyond this I will not be braved to inform you.

Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume 19 |Various
One of these descendants was seen by my informant wearing the emeralds that had been in the bishop's bag.

South America Observations and Impressions |James Bryce
He lied, for he dared not tell the truth; namely, that the young Navajo was his informant.

The Delight Makers |Adolf Bandelier
The hut was occupied by a Malay and his wife, from whom our informant gathered the following extraordinary account.

Mythical Monsters |Charles Gould

informant

/ (ɪnˈfɔːmənt) /

a person who gives information about a thing, a subject being studied, etc